Culture

Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. Tolerates part shade, but may not flower in too much shade. Cut foliage to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear. May be grown from seed and self-seeds in optimum growing conditions but cultivars do not come true from seed. May not be reliably winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5 where it is best sited in a protected location.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Pennisetum alopecuroides, commonly called fountain grass, is a warm season ornamental grass which typically grows in graceful, spreading clumps from 2-3' tall and as wide. Features narrow, medium to deep green leaves (to 1/2" wide) in summer, changing to golden yellow in fall and fading to beige in late fall. Foliage usually remains attractive throughout the winter. Showy, silvery to pinkish-white, bristly, bottle brush-like flower spikes arch outward from the clump in late summer like water spraying from a fountain (hence the common name). Flower spikes turn brownish as the seeds form, and spikes usually persist until late fall or early winter before shattering. Many excellent fountain grass cultivars are available in commerce, ranging in height from 1-5' and featuring a variety of different flower colors (purples, pinks or whites) and autumn foliage.

Genus name comes from the Latin penna meaning feather and seta meaning bristle in reference to the flowers having long, feathery bristles.

Specific epithet means like a foxtail grass.

'Little Bunny' is one of the smallest fountain grass cultivars growing only about 12-18 inches tall.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

Specimen, group or mass. Foliage and attractive flower spikes of this ornamental grass provide excellent texture, color and contrast to borders, foundations and open areas. Also grows well in moist locations such as peripheries of water gardens, ponds or streams.

'Little Bunny' is particularly at home in a rock garden setting or on a slope with other mat-forming or small perennials.